Wagon-box construction.



F. A. FALK.

WAGON BOX CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 17, 1907. RENEWED IEB. 6, 1909.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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FRANK A. FALK, OF STACYVILLE, IOWA.

WAGON-BOX CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May4, 1909.

Application filed December 17, 1907, Serial No. 406,8e6. Renewed February 5, 1909. Serial No. 476,313.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. FALK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stacyville, in the county of Mitchell and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Box Construction, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawmgs.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of wagon-boxes and par ticularly to improvements in the side-boards which are used in such structures; and. an object of my invention is to provide such sideboards with means to enable them to be readily put in place and to be removed therefrom.

Another object of my invention is to provide side-boards of the character described which may be built to a great height in order to accommodate a large load and which are interchangeable as regards position.

A third object of my invention is to provide side-boards in which one of the end cleats heretofore used to hold the end board may be dispensed with.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sideboard which will retain the material even when the opposed edges of two side-boards are separated by a slight interval.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, Figure 1 is an elevation of so much of a side of a wagon box as is necessary to illustrate my invention, the inside of the box being shown; Fig. 2 is a detail showing the manner in which two side-boards fit together; Fig. 3 is a detail showing the end board in section and the side-boards slightly separated from each other; Fig. 4 is a detail in erspective of an end of one of the side-boarc s; Fig. 5 is a plan of an end of a side-board, the end board eing shown in place; and Fig. 6 is an end view of one of the side-boards.

Each of the side-boards a is provided on each side with a pair of cleats I). The sides 0, d of these cleats are parallel to each other and are perpendicular to the edge of the board, while the ends 6, f are inclined to the edge of the board. Further, the upper ends e of the cleats at opposite ends of the same side-board converge downwardly; and the same istrue of the lower ends f. The lower end f of the cleat is shaped to fit snugly u on the upper end 6 of the next lower cleat. lhe

lower edge of each side-board is provided with a strap 9 which, when the side-boards are placed in position, overlaps the upper edge of the side-board next below upon its inner face. Each side-board is provided on its inner face with an end cleat h the inner side or edge /r of which is parallel to the side 0 of the cleat 1) whereby a slot t is left for the insertion of the end By reason of the fact that the cleats b are continuous, when the side-boards are placed in position, and that the sides 0 are parallel to the inner edge 7c of the cleat h, the side-boards may be separated by an interval, as is shown in Fig. 3, without a crack being left between the cleat ends for the leakage of the material held in the wagon box. In the old construction, an additional cleat was necessary for the holding of the end board; and where the side-boards were se arated by a slight interval, a crack was left etween the opposed ends of the cleat, whereby leakage of the material held in the wagon box resulted. The side-boards a are identical in construction which makes their manufacture cheaper as they can be made in large quantities and in standard sizes.

As is clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 the end f of each cleat slides in between the upper ends 6 of the cleat of the board next below. This arrangement of the cleats 1) serves to obviate the inconvenience which results from the arrangement of the cleats heretofore used. In the latter arrangement some of these cleats had to be placed back a little and others forward a little so as not to interfere with each other; and unless specially built, the box could not be provided with an extra board without the removal and replacement of the cleats. With the arrangement herein disclosed, it is not necessary to have a particular side-board a come in a particular order in the building of a high box, as the side boards will fit together in any order. Further, the wagon-box can be built to any height out of boards from stock, as they are all alike. This is of great advanta e where large loads are hauled. Another advantage resulting from my new construction lies in the ease with which the wagon-box may be dismantled or taken apart. After one of the side-boards is started, there will be no binding of the cleats, the inclination of the upper and lower ends of the cleats being such as to permit one end of the side-board to be lifted out entirely without binding. In the ordinary construction heretofore pursued, if one end is lifted alone or faster than the other end, the cleats bind. In assembling the side-boards a, no difficulty is experienced in putting down the board, as the convergence of the end faces of the cleats tends to guide the upper board into place.

I claim:

1. a structure of the class described, a side-board rovided with cleats a part of each of whic rojects beyond a longitudinal edge of the side-board; the end face ofthe projecting part of each cleat being inclined to the longitudinal edge of the side-board and the 0 posite end face of each cleat being inclinec to the longitudinal edge of the sideboard; said inclined end faces having the same general inclination.

2. In a structure of the class described, a side-board provided with an end cleat and with a second cleat having one side arallel to the opposed side of the first-name cleat the ends of the last-named cleat being inclined to the longitudinal edge of the sideboard; said cleats being se arated by a slot 3. A series of side-boar s each side-board being provided with a pair of cleats the upper and lower ends of which are inclined to the longitudinal edge of the side-board and converge downwardly; the lower ends of the cleats on each side-board lying within the upper ends of the cleats on the side-board neXt below.

4. The combination with an end board,- of a series of side-boards each of the latter being provided with a pair of cleats the ends of which are inclined to the longitudinal edge of the side-board and with an end cleat the in ner side of which is parallel to the opposed side of the nearest of said pair of cleats; said end board being held between said end cleat and the nearest cleat of said pair.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses at said Stacyville this 10th day of December, A. D. 1907.

FRANK A. FALK.

Witnesses:

H. O. ANDERSON, KATIE WELTER. 

